Bear Shot With Arrow Wanders Through LA County Neighborhood

ARCADIA, CA — A wounded bear with an arrow protruding from its side was seen wandering an Arcadia neighborhood, and state wildlife officials are warning residents to watch out for it Tuesday.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife was searching for the injured animal and asked the public for help locating it Tuesday. Bears occasionally wander through the residential neighborhoods at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, startling and delighting residents.

Neighbors said the sight of the injured bear was troubling.

A neighbor, Ernie Camacho, told CBS2 that the bear was a regular in the neighborhood, and added that seeing the wounded animal was a tough experience.

"When we saw the bear initially laying on the front lawn, it was probably 25-30 feet from us and he was helpless. He laid on his side, he perched his head up to look at us and, almost as though asking for help, he lifted his paw up, which was the most heart-wrenching thing," Camacho told the station. "The arrow was probably, well I couldn't tell how large the arrow was but it (had) penetrated."

Camacho said that after a while, the bear got up and gingerly lumbered a few blocks away to another yard, but it was clear the animal was seriously injured and in pain.

"The bear was obviously in pain and in fact when we lost him in the brush, we could hear him moan, which was very sad," Camacho told CBS2.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is prepared to treat the animal.

"We have people in the field looking – and our veterinarian staff is on standby to assist the animal if it’s found," said Tim Daily, spokesman for he California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "We ask any member of the public who sees the bear to call Arcadia police, and then we’d be notified.

Anyone who sees the injured bear should stay away from the animal and call the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, so officials can examine the bear's condition and determine a plan of action.

The bear might have been shot at a local bow hunting area that's permitted in California through the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement program.

In California, it's illegal to hunt a black bear without permission from wildlife officials.

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, "Existing law allows any owner or tenant of land or property that is being damaged or destroyed or is in danger of being damaged or destroyed by specific animals, including bears, to request from the Department a permit to kill the animal involved."

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Anyone who sees the bear was asked to call the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5150.

City News Service contributed to this report.